372 



BLEACHING 



and ' puffer-pipe,' whoso periphery is ' slotted,' to admit of the liquor passing 

 through. B, cover for kier ; the flanch on which this cover rests is grooved a little 

 to admit of 'gasking' being inserted, so as to form a 'joint.' k, k, swivel-bolts, 

 holding down the cover, i, a small aperture, covered with a lid capable of being 

 removed easily, to enable tho attendant to see that the cloth does not rise too high 

 in the kier to endanger its working; if such happens, he checks the steam until 



the cloth settles, after which it does not again attempt to rise. , steam-valve; 

 I, water-valve ; both communicate with pipe w, leading to kier. p, pipe communi- 

 cating with kier for supplying steam and water also serves as escape-pipe ; /, 

 escape-valve for letting off kier ; e, wheel for opening ditto ; m, steam-pipe from boiler. 

 o, p, foundation for kier. 



The process of cleansing is very various. Some use lime for the first process; 

 some use soda alone ; some use them mixed. Of course when carbonate of soda and 

 lime are used, caustic soda is at once formed, and the carbonate of lime is left idle. 

 The practices and fancies of bleachers are numerous ; and we have only to say that 

 the principle consists in the use of alkaline lyes. Some use lime to the amount of 

 3 per cent. ; others go as high as 10. The lime is slaked first and a portion thrown 

 in ; a portion of cloth is laid upon it, and a portion of lime again covers that : but 

 on no account must the goods be allowed to lie in contact with the atmosphere and 

 the lime. 



When removed from the kiers the goods must be washed. Now if they are to be 

 washed in dash-wheels, it is needful that they be in separate pieces, and in this state 

 they are sometimes boiled in the kiers ; but if they are to be washed in the washing- 

 machines, they are lifted out of the kier in the same manner as a piece of string is 

 drawn out of the canister in which the coil is kept. 



M. Metz, of Heidelberg, has attempted to perform the work of boiling by merely 

 extracting the air from the cloth. For this purpose the cloth is simply put into a 

 strong upright cylinder, the top screwed down, and the air taken out by an air-pump. 

 We have no knowledge as to the advantages gained by this process, or whether it 

 has been found actually capable of putting cloth in a condition to be bleached for a 

 very fastidious market. 



High-Pressure Steam-Kiers. These kiers greatly hasten tho process of bleaching, 

 and at the same time improve it. Fig. 1 1 6 (p. 373) is an elevation showing the original 

 arrangement of these (which are uecommended to bo made of strong boiler-plate iron). 

 One of these is shown in section, a and b are the kiers ; c is a perforated platform, 

 on which the goods to be bowked are laid ; k Ic is the pipe connecting the bottom of the 

 kier b with the top of the adjoining kier a ; and I I, the corresponding pipe 

 connecting tho opposite ends of the kiers a and b; mm are draw-off cocks, connected 

 with the pipes k and I, by which the kiers can be emptied of spent liquor, water, &c. ; 

 n and o are ordinary two-way taps, by which tho steam is admitted into the 

 respective kiers from the main pipe, p, and the reversing of which shuts off the steam 

 communication, and admits the bowking liquor as it becomes expelled from the 



